What Needs to Be Said
by Margolo Blu
Summary: I wrote this alternate ending to a book probably no one has ever read or heard of before The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break. It's not really worth reading, I just did it because I was bored.


_This short story is my continuation on a novel that I absolutely adore; _The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break_ by Steven Sherrill. People who are fans of mythology, dark humor, randomness, symbolism, oddball romances, fantasy, poetry, psychology, English literature, or just enjoy a good book during a rainy day, would love this book. The basic plot of the book is the Minotaur is still alive, 5,000 years after being let out of the labyrinth by Theseus (they made a deal, and the Minotaur got the short end of the stick). Since he is the son of the Gods (Poseidon or Zeus), he is immortal. M, the Minotaur, works in the American South as a short order cook in a Steakhouse. There he almost gets romantically involved with his gay best friend David (who is probably my third favorite character next to Kelly and M), falls for an epileptic waitress who is obsessed with books and goldfish. He deals with the grief of accidentally wounding a coworker, the death of his landlord's horny, unlucky bulldog Buddy, buys a corndog vendor, and a date at the local mini putt by the local XXX theatre. I started this story where it left off, in the driveway of the trailer park. Pretty much what happens is M is accused of raping and robbing Kelly and a huge fight ensues but ends after when the aggressors discover what really happen and why M did what he did. (I'm trying not to spoil the book). I loved the ending of the book, but I kept getting the images of what was going since the ending was what the Minotaur was thinking and not what him or Kelly was doing. I'm trying to stay truthful to the book as much as possible, though I can't capture Sherrill's poetic writing. I don't own any of these characters or the storyline and I really think my opening might be longer than my story. ;)_

_Just because this sucks, doesn't mean you shouldn't read the book. _

**What Needs to Be Said Doesn't Always Have to Be Said**

Kelly stood there in the gravel driveway, waiting. The night was cool, calm, tranquil, a disparity of the earlier commotion. Everything appeared to have died, frozen in time like the marble statues of Athens. For several moments, nothing moved, nothing made a sound. Everything alive around Kelly and the Minotaur did not even give off the essence in life; it was as if they were trapped in a snow globe, so perfect the silence and tranquility. For all his years, the piling up millennia, the Minotaur had never felt a more drawn out moment than this, standing here in the fading blue darkness and creeping cold.

Kelly stood there, arms folded around her and the heavy army coat. Her legs were bare to the elements and instinctually crossed in the coolness emanating from the earth. Her head was down, looking away from him, lowered in shame and hurt. The Minotaur stepped towards her, the limestone scratching under his heavy work boots. Kelly looked up. Their eyes met, the Minotaur froze in mid step. He stopped and stood there, looking at her, hoping, praying she would understand, that she did understand, that she knew.

Kelly walked towards him, her footfalls soft and the limestone gently cracking. She paused when she was only an arms width away from the Minotaur. Her face was turned to the ground and away from, her arms still tightly wrapped around her form. The Minotaur lowered his head.

Deep in the Minotaur's heart and mind he could feel thoughts and words arising, spreading up his throat and nasal cavity. He wanted to tell her. He wanted to see if she was okay. He wanted to tell her about the corn dog cart, about how she is forgiven, ask for her forgiveness, and tell her. Tell her so much.

But it was all for not. Even if the Minotaur could tell Kelly, tell her everything, he could not. Even if for a brief moment God granted him a human mouth, a human tongue and vocal cords, the words he wanted to say would never come out. Let alone, he could never tell her what all he wanted to tell her in a few moments. He felt he may never be able to tell her all he wanted to tell her.

They stood there. Kelly looking away, the Minotaur looking at Kelly.

A crow called in the distance. Both the Minotaur and Kelly looked up, towards the trees. Then they looked back, catching each others eyes. Kelly did not look down; she looked up, at him.

Feeling bold, the Minotaur tentatively reached out and brushed the few strands of oily, tear soaked hair from Kelly's face. Kelly stepped forward and rested her head against his chest. For a second all was calm. Then a gagging sob came from deep within her throat. She jerked forward, her arms wrapping around him. Around the same time, his arms wrapped around her. He cupped the back of her head with his one hand and pressed her tightly against him. He could feel the tears soaking through the torn, thin fabric of his shirt just as well as he could smell their salty sweetness.

"Mmmm," he murmured, half intentionally, half unintentionally. His eyes closed as he pressed his cheek against her head, reveling in her scent, the smell of sweat and shampoo.

"I'm so sorry, so so sorry," Kelly croaked, her voice cloaked in tears and the moment. "So, so sorry."

The Minotaur rubbed his cheek against her. In response, Kelly rubbed her head back against the bottom of his jaw. They stopped and looked at each other. Kelly smiled. The Minotaur had never seen anything so beautiful in his life as the look in her eyes.

Kelly returned to her head to the side of his chest and sighed contentedly. The Minotaur kept one arm around her as she kept one arm around his waist. They both looked up at the night sky, the myriad of stars sprinkle across it.

Kelly leaned against him contentedly, allowing his body to support her. The Minotaur's heart beat quickly with in his chest.

As the night once again came to life, the Minotaur had never felt so whole.


End file.
